The Ford Mustang has scored 2 out of 5 stars in a recent Euro NCAP crash test, the lowest test score awarded to a sports car since 2008. Normally, Euro NCAP does not test sports cars owing to their low production volume, but the Mustang became the most successful car in Europe by outselling its rivals thus prompting a crash test.
In March 2016, the Mustang sold 780 units in Germany alone, beating the Porsche 911, Jaguar F-Type, Audi TT and more. In July, 2,317 units of the Mustang were sold in the UK alone, again beating the F-Type which came in second, the BMW 6 Series, Porsche 911, Porsche 718 and the list goes on.
Euro NCAP discovered that EU spec Ford Mustangs did not have automatic emergency braking (AEB) technology which was fitted on American cars. When asked, Ford said that they chose to omit the safety technology due to low demand of the car, even though the sales were booming in Europe. Nonetheless, the company has confirmed that the facelifted Mustang will come standard with the technology across all markets including Europe.
Euro NCAP’s Secretary General, Michiel van Ratingen went ahead to compare the Mustang 2 score with the Volvo S90 and V90, both which scored maximum five points.
Ratingen said: “Volvo has invested in safety, has made key technologies standard across the model range and the results speak for themselves: a very impressive five-star rating. Ford did not expect Euro NCAP to test the Mustang and chose not to fit safety technology in Europe which is available to its American consumers, and available on several other sports cars for that matter. Such an attitude to safety should trouble Ford’s customers, whether they are buying a high-powered muscle car or a regular family car.”
Other flaws found during the Mustang crash test included the incomplete inflation of the driver and front passenger airbags, which ultimately caused the dummy heads to ram on the steering wheel and dashboard. A 32% score was awarded for child safety at the back and considered below standard.
